This invention relates to a composition of matter for chemical diagnostic testing of liquid petroleum fuels under actual field conditions. More particularly, this invention relates to a method by which certain chemical reagents may be used in conjunction with liquid petroleum fuels to produce colors which are characteristic of fuel power, oil content and moisture content of liquid petroleum fuels.
The primary object of this invention is to provide a novel and relatively simple combination of chemical reagents to test unknown liquid petroleum fuels for power, oil and moisture content.
It is another object of this invention to provide a novel and relatively simple method by which said chemical reagents may be utilized in a test kit form.
These and other advantages will become apparent from the detailed disclosure of the present invention presented hereinafter.
As it is perhaps well known, liquid petroleum fuels are widely used in internal combustion engines, including marine and aircraft engines, and there are numerous kinds of petroleum fuels, each specifically formulated for a particular use. Since many of these fuels are not interchangeable, nor can they be distinguished by visual examination, the identification of a particular fuel composition is very important, especially where several different kinds of fuels are used for a variety of fueling operations. Along with the problem of identification, there is a lesser but related problem of contamination of fuels by oil and water which will also affect their performance. Currently, testing of fuels requires sophisticated laboratory analysis. It has been long felt that field tests, such as color tests, were needed for on the spot identification of fuels and detection of oil and water content because, more often than not, there is a long period between the laboratory analysis and actual fuel useage where changes in fuel chemistry or misidentification may occur during storage. Therefore, a simple field test may not only insure fuel integrity, but may also prevent a disaster due to human error or contamination.
Reliability, simplicity and ease of operation are three desirable characteristics for chemical field tests. They should be useable under a variety of adverse weather and environmental conditions, yet should pose no hazard to the person conducting the test nor to the environment. They should be fast, yet reproducible, and moreover be easily interpreted by non-technical personnel who may be required to test fuels during fueling operations. The above objectives among others are achieved by using three specially formulated chemical reagents according to the methods herein described.